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@uiten .glatte atent @fitta JOSIAH F. MELC-l-IER, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINCIS.

-Lctters Patent No. 68,769, dated September 10, 1867.

IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JosrAH F. MnLcnnn, of Bloomington, in the county ofMcLean, and State of Illinois,

have invented a new and improved Washing Machine; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of the machine.

Figure 2 is a section through the machine .taken in the vertical plane indicated by red line x' :c in fig. 1.

Figure 8 is a similar vi'ew of `the same parts indicating the gearing in a different positionfrom that shown in fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section of the rotary rubbing'device.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an improvement ou washing machines, having a vertical rotary rubbing device for cleansing'the articles. -The nature of the invention consists mainly in a double-spurred master-wheel, which t is constructed lwith radial arms or handles, also with arched radial spokes which will admit of the application of a pinion spur-wheel, which is on the shaft of the rubber within the circumference of the master-wheel, so that this pinion can he driven at a slow or fast speed, as circumstances may require; said master-wheel and pinion spur-wheel being applied to a hatten which is fastened to the top of the wash-box, and adapted to serve i ns a bearing for said driving parts,tas will be hereinafter described. The invention further consists in an open revolving rubbingdrum, having arranged within it a device which will Voperate .toV draw the articles toward a series of rubbing-rollers, whichl constitute part of said drum, and also a device which will cause the water to iiy from said drum, thus keeping up a constant circulation of the water in the wash-boi, as will be hereinafter explained. Y i i To enzibleothers skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a wash-box, tub, or barrel, having a removable eover,.B`, applied toit. This cover is strengthened by means of a metallic hatten, C, which is constructed with three holes a al a2 through it, and which is firmly bolted on top of the cover, as shown inthe drawings. -The holes through the hatten C are elongated by collars so as to a'ord steady bearings foi-` the pintle of the master-wheel D and shaft E of the rotary rubbing-device, as shown in figs. 2 and 3. The master-wheel D consists of a circumferential ring having spur-teeth upon its interioriand exterior surfaces, which ring is connected by `means oi' arched spokes to a central pintlc or shaft, D', which is adapted to fit the holes through the battcn or bearingplate C. Twol of said radial spokes terminato at their outer ends in arms F F, havingknobs or handles b b appiiedto their outer extremities by which a person can conveniently grasp the handles and oscillate or rotate the wheel D. A pinion spur-wheel, G, is keyed upon the upper end of the shaft E, which wheel is adapted for gearing with the interior or exterior teeth of the master-wheel accordingto the speed required of the rubbingdrum. Wheel G has a cylindrical hub formed on its lower side, through which the square shaft E passes, which shaft is constructed with a head upon its upper-end, that is recessed into said wheel, so as to support the shaft and rubber in proper position in the wash-box or tub. The rubber consists of a circular head, c, anda crossed facepiece, cl, connected together by means of vertical rubbing-bars c c, which may be iixed or allowed to rotate. Through the centre of this rubber the square shaft E passes, and is attached firmly to it by the removable pin f, shown in gs. 2 and 3. Within this rubber, and attached centrally to it bymeans of the shaft E and pin f, or in any other suitable manner, is a device for drawing the articles in the whslrtub up closely against the bars e e' during the operation of washing. This device consists of a metallic U-shaped plate, J, inverted and extended from the to'p or head c nearly to the foot-piece d. The arms of'this device converge from the head c, and are bent so fas to present concavo-convex surfaces, the former being outside and the latter inside, as shown in g.4

On top of the cross-arms forming the foot-piece d I secure floats or blades g g, the object of which is to throw ,p

the water outward or from the centre of the rubber when washing. rlhe effect of the arms .I is to draw the water inward or toward the centre of the rubber, which, in\eonjunction with the blades g g, will cause a rapid circulation of the water ytoward the upper portion of the rubber, and from the lower portion thereof. This will bring the articles in the tub in elosecontact with the rubbing-bars which will operate to cleansethem with rapidity, and without injury to the most delicate article. While this is the case the-arms J- J will allow currents of air to rush downward and mingle with the water during the'act of Washing. By removing the.pinf, the shaft E can be Withdrawn and the wheel G detached fromit; then by removing the master-wheel D, the wheel G and its attachments can be adjusted either to be driven by the outside teeth on said wheel D or th`e inside teeth thereof, as vshown in the drawings. The distance between the three holes a c1112 is' so regulatedwi'th'reference to the diameters of the two Lspur-wheels D and G, that the rubber can be driven at a slow or fast speed by simply moving the wheel D from one hole a to the other, al, without removing t'he wheel G.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 'is-- 1. The double-spurred wheel D, constructed with arched spokcs'for receiving the pinion G, and also with radial arms o1' handles D', substantially as described. A

4 2. The combination of the hatten C provided with holes a al a?, with the cover B, and with dodble-spurrcd master-wheel D, pinionG, and a vertical rotary rubbing device, substantially as described. v

3. The constructionot the rotary rubbing-device or bars d d, blades g g, .and a U-shaped device, J, substantially as described. v

JOSIAH F. MELCHER.

'Witnesses J. F. POAGUE, JAMES RADBouRN. 

